@article{10.11648/j.hss.20251306.20,
  author = {Luo Yuting and Chao Zhou and Zhou Yiran},
  title = {Research on Arrangement Methods Based on “Ableton Live” Software - A Case Study of “Yang Qin”},
  journal = {Humanities and Social Sciences},
  volume = {13},
  number = {6},
  pages = {600-605},
  doi = {10.11648/j.hss.20251306.20},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251306.20},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.hss.20251306.20},
  abstract = {To address the growing demand for integrating traditional Chinese musical instruments into modern digital music ecosystems, this study delves into the tailored application of Ableton Live — one of the industry’s most versatile Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)—in arranging music for the Yang Qin, a classic Chinese hammered dulcimer renowned for its bright, layered timbre and intricate performance techniques. The core objective of the research is to forge a seamless connection between the Yang Qin’s time-honored acoustic characteristics and cutting-edge digital production workflows, thereby revitalizing the instrument’s presence in contemporary music while safeguarding its cultural authenticity. Employing a rigorous mixed-methods framework, the research unfolds in three interconnected phases. First, an exhaustive literature review maps the current landscape of traditional Chinese instrument digitalization, identifying critical gaps in existing DAW-based arrangement strategies that often compromise the Yang Qin’s unique tonal nuances or technical expressiveness. Next, a series of experimental arrangements are conducted to test Ableton Live’s functional adaptability: the team evaluates how the software’s tools align with the Yang Qin’s hammering dynamics, polyphonic capabilities, and modal scales. Finally, expert evaluations—solicited from both veteran Yang Qin performers and professional electronic music producers—are used to refine and validate the proposed methods against dual benchmarks of cultural fidelity and modern musical appeal. Key findings highlight that Ableton Live’s Session View (for modular, improvisational arrangement), advanced MIDI integration (for expanding the instrument’s tonal range without distorting its core timbre), and real-time audio processing tools (for subtle spatial enhancement) collectively amplify the Yang Qin’s expressiveness in cross-genre contexts, from ambient electronica to fusion pop. Beyond its immediate application, the study delivers a replicable framework for digitizing other traditional Chinese instruments, laying a foundation for their wider inheritance and global market innovation while preserving their cultural essence.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Research on Arrangement Methods Based on “Ableton Live” Software - A Case Study of “Yang Qin”
AU  - Luo Yuting
AU  - Chao Zhou
AU  - Zhou Yiran
Y1  - 2025/12/27
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251306.20
DO  - 10.11648/j.hss.20251306.20
T2  - Humanities and Social Sciences
JF  - Humanities and Social Sciences
JO  - Humanities and Social Sciences
SP  - 600
EP  - 605
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8184
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.hss.20251306.20
AB  - To address the growing demand for integrating traditional Chinese musical instruments into modern digital music ecosystems, this study delves into the tailored application of Ableton Live — one of the industry’s most versatile Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)—in arranging music for the Yang Qin, a classic Chinese hammered dulcimer renowned for its bright, layered timbre and intricate performance techniques. The core objective of the research is to forge a seamless connection between the Yang Qin’s time-honored acoustic characteristics and cutting-edge digital production workflows, thereby revitalizing the instrument’s presence in contemporary music while safeguarding its cultural authenticity. Employing a rigorous mixed-methods framework, the research unfolds in three interconnected phases. First, an exhaustive literature review maps the current landscape of traditional Chinese instrument digitalization, identifying critical gaps in existing DAW-based arrangement strategies that often compromise the Yang Qin’s unique tonal nuances or technical expressiveness. Next, a series of experimental arrangements are conducted to test Ableton Live’s functional adaptability: the team evaluates how the software’s tools align with the Yang Qin’s hammering dynamics, polyphonic capabilities, and modal scales. Finally, expert evaluations—solicited from both veteran Yang Qin performers and professional electronic music producers—are used to refine and validate the proposed methods against dual benchmarks of cultural fidelity and modern musical appeal. Key findings highlight that Ableton Live’s Session View (for modular, improvisational arrangement), advanced MIDI integration (for expanding the instrument’s tonal range without distorting its core timbre), and real-time audio processing tools (for subtle spatial enhancement) collectively amplify the Yang Qin’s expressiveness in cross-genre contexts, from ambient electronica to fusion pop. Beyond its immediate application, the study delivers a replicable framework for digitizing other traditional Chinese instruments, laying a foundation for their wider inheritance and global market innovation while preserving their cultural essence.
VL  - 13
IS  - 6
ER  - 

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